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Crucified With Christ
by David A. DePra
 
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other
answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing
thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we
receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I
say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Lk.
23:39-43)
 
     The two thieves on the Cross were literally crucified with Jesus
Christ. Imagine it. Of all of the human beings who ever lived,
these two individuals were there, that day, hanging on crosses
beside the Son of God, just as He was dying for the sin of the
world. These two were given the opportunity to die with Jesus
Christ; to be crucified with Him.
     We too, are to be crucified with Christ. But our crucifixion "with
Him" is not a physical crucifixion. It is spiritual. Paul tells us this in
his letter to the Galatians:
 
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
(Gal. 2:20)
 
     There is a picture of something being given us by God through
these two thieves on the Cross. They were crucified with Christ,
and we are crucified with Christ. How they responded physically
and historically, typifies the two possible ways in which we, as
Christians, might respond to God as we hang on our "crosses"
next to Jesus.
 
Two Attitudes of Heart
 
     The two thieves who were crucified with Christ were guilty of
crimes worthy of death. Little did they know that the very One who
was to die for their sin would be crucified with them that day. It is
likely that these thieves had never even heard of Jesus before that
day. Afterall, they were criminals, and there isn't any reason to
believe that they were part of the crowds following Jesus during
His ministry. No. They were probably in prison, or were
committing their crimes during that time.
     These men were guilty and knew it. They knew that they were
going to be executed that day. But who was this strange man who
was to be executed with them? And why all the fuss over Him?
It is clear from scripture that Jesus words and conduct during
His death were a witness unto those who watched. Even a Roman
centurian said, "Certainly this man was a righteous man." (Lk.
23:47) Even the thieves also recognized that Jesus had done
nothing worthy of death.  Apparently, Jesus' innocence was
obvious to anyone who was willing to face the Truth.
     The thieves did know that there was a great dispute over
whether Jesus was the Christ. They had heard the crowds
arguing, and demanding that if Jesus were the Christ, He would
save Himself.
 
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them
derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he
be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him,
coming to him, and offering him vinegar. (Lk. 23:35)
 
     Note the "test" these people demanded as "proof" that Jesus
was the Christ: Whether He would save Himself. That was the
test. The "real Christ" would save Himself. A fake Christ would
die. He would not be able to deliver Himself from the Cross.
     This "test" was echoed by one of the thieves. He said, "If you
are the Christ, save yourself and us." But the other thief rebuked
him, and admitted that they were being justly punished. He then,
in a clear acknowledgement of Jesus as the Christ, asked Jesus to
remember him when He came into His kingdom.
     Isn't this ironic? Natural thinking would tell us that the "test"
as to whether Jesus is the Christ is if He comes down from the
Cross -- or if He saves US from OUR cross. But the Truth is,
the "test" is passed only if Jesus stays up ON the Cross. Then,
and only then, can the fact that He is the Son of God be declared
through the power of His resurrection. (see Rom. 1:4)
 
Our Cross
 
     Here we see the two possible attitudes WE can have as we
hang on our cross, beside Jesus. These are the two possible
ways we can respond as we are being crucified with Christ. We
will either consider our "death" to be an unjust, bad thing. Or we
will know that it is a just thing. And we will look forward to the life
to come.
     The two thieves were not Christians. But they do represent two
groups of people. One group considers the cross to be an
intrusion on their life. Despite saying they have embraced Jesus
as Saviour, their relationship with Him is almost like one of an
adversary. "These things just should not happen to someone who
is a Christian," they say. "Christianity is life, not death." And then
they say to Jesus, "Save us from this unjust situation."
     This group of people want to save their life. They want to be
crucified with Christ, because they know a Christianis supposed to
be, but they want it on their own terms. With Paul, they would say
the words, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live," but the
"life they now live" is not through the resurrection. It is not life
through death. It is life by avoiding death. They want to come
down from the cross. And some of them do.
     But even if we don't actually come down from the cross, it is
nevertheless a hinderence unto us to forever complain about
being there to begin with.  Some of us hang there in a continual
state of bitterness and complaint. We really don't think all of this
suffering we are going through is just. We are mad at God
because He is allowing it. And we don't understand why, if Jesus
is really the Christ, He doesn't save us from it.
     The thief on the cross who complained against Jesus had one
thing in mind: Being saved from the cross. In his mind, a truly
loving Christ would not let him die. He obviously had no concept
of his own guilt, and certainly did not discern in the least the One
who was dying beside him.
     The other thief, however, had seen something. He represents
a group of people who are crucified with Christ according to the
will of God. These people know that crucifixion is exactly what
they need, not only because it brings a just end to their old life in
Adam, but because it is a deliverance from sin itself. They are in
the process of losing their life in Christ. And there in no thought of
asking Him to save them from it.
     The thief who believed in Jesus knew that his life was over. He
confessed his sin in that he acknowledged that he was receiving
justice for it. But he didn't give up on God. His focus was upon
one thing: The afterlife. He asked Jesus to remember Him. And
Jesus, who was right then in the middle of dying for the sins of the
world, acknowledged this lowly thief. He promised him that He
would.
     Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ." He also said, "But
nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ who is in me." There is no
life in Christ expect it come through crucifixion with Him. We
must willing take up our cross and follow Him to calvary, where we
will be crucified with Him.

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